With the advances in the development and implementation of semiconductor based integrated circuit technology, the dimensions of electronic circuits and electronic apparatus and equipment in which these circuits are used are steadily decreasing. The miniaturization of active electronic components spurred not only reduction in size of the passive components but also of connectors, switches and other electrical components.
With the most recent achievements in IC technologies, it became possible to greatly increase volume of memory in semiconductor chips. As a result, recently developed and implemented IC memory cards for external memories of personal computers (PC) or for business electronic equipment, such as, for example, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) are not larger than a business card, while having very large memory volume. Using a number of such IC cards or memory cards storing various data or computer programs makes it possible to selectively connect electronic equipment depending on the requirements.
In order to be able to effectively use high-performance electronic equipment, it is necessary to switch from one memory card to another quickly, easily and correctly. For this purpose, electronic equipment is usually equipped with devices guiding memory cards to connect with a connector and ejecting them from the connector by means of a push bar or an operating lever with a push button. In such devices, an edge of a memory card inserted in the connector usually protrudes from a slot of the case, so that the edge can be grasped and pull the card out. The memory card connected to a memory card connector in this arrangement is completely enclosed inside the case of the electronic equipment and no part of it protrudes outside. This eliminates the danger of an accidental displacement of the memory card which can cause incorrect connection or loss of the information stored in the card.
Examples of conventional memory card connectors with a card ejection mechanism can be found in Japanese Utility Model Publication Nos. 91-38772, 85-182078 and 89-116859.
In the first of the above mentioned examples of the conventional card connectors, a plate parallel to the memory card is used. This plate has a pair of shoulders retaining the front and back ends of the memory card attached to or inserted in the plate, and a protrusion located at the other end which is connected to one end of a lever to which pressure from a spring loaded ejector is applied. This ejecting mechanism is mounted in a plastic frame having a supporting column to which the lever is attached so that it can rotate around it.
The second of the above mentioned examples of the conventional card connectors consists of a push lever, and a link and a triangular ejection lever mounted on a base plate connected in a pivoting manner. This connector is similar to the connector of the first example, and the difference is that the ejection lever and link are mounted on the base plate and are movable.
The third of the above mentioned examples of the conventional card connectors is similar to the second example. The difference consists in the fact that in the ejection mechanism, a U-shaped part having two arms is used when lever pressure is applied directly to the memory card.
Conventional memory card connectors and their ejecting mechanisms described above are not suitable for all modern superminiatuarized electronic equipment because of their dimensions. Namely, the card ejection mechanism of the first example is contained in a plastic housing. Therefore, its thickness combined with the thickness of the card limits its use in low-profile models. The card ejection mechanism of the second example has a movable ejection lever placed on the top of the base plate which serves as a guiding device for the memory card inserted under the base plate. In addition, a link is connected to the top of the ejection lever, thus considerably increasing the thickness of the mechanism. And finally, in the card ejection mechanism of the third example, the ejection arm located behind the memory card is rather long, thus increasing the length of the mechanism.
Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to offer an improved card connector having a very thin card ejecting mechanism.
Another purpose of this invention is to offer a card ejection mechanism for card connectors making it possible to smoothly and reliably insert memory cards in the connector and to eject them from it.